The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-04-27
BASEBALL.
Lively Times Predicted for the Sea-
son or 1887 on the Green
Diamond.
Hard Hitting and Active Base-Running
Among the Products of the New
Rules.
TcHIcAao coRnEspoNpENcE.l


The American Association teams played
the first championship games of the base
ball season of 1887 on the 18th OF April,
and on the 2Sth of April the first cham
pionship games of the present season will
take place between the teams of the Ma
tional League. Thus within a few days
both the great baseball organizations of
the country will have launched upon their
seasons contest for the capture of their
respective remnants, with every indication
that the games will be attended by even
more remarkable degree of interest than
has marked the progress of the contests
through any seasons past. AS in past years
at the commencement of the season, specu-
lation is rife among admirers of the game
everywhere as to the relative strength, the
probable position of the teams at the end
of the season, and the character of the fight
they will make, with strong fayoring, of
course, of the team belonging to the city
from which such admirers may hail.
There is good deal of speculation
among players, as we'll as patrons of the
game, regarding the probable effect of the
new rules. AS rule the players, particu-
larly pitchers, condemn the new pitching
rules. They render the pitchers work
harder, make more work for the felders,
siders, however, seem pleased with the new
arrangement. Spectators who pay to wit
ness e-ball games like to see plenty of
action. They like to see plenty Of hard
hitting and lively base-running. From
every indication they are likely to get
surfeit of both this season. Heavy batting
and daring base running will be the feat
ure of the games, and large scores will be
the result. The lovers of the game will
seldom see any scores like 2 to /,
or any "Chicagos." The new rules were
made SO that the whole nine might play
ball and not the pitcher. Last season the
won any applause, which made them feel
that they were no more than automatons.
Now they will have chance to show how
nimble they are. The games will take
more time to play than they did under the
old rules, because the pitchers can very
seldom retire the three men in one, two,
three style. The twirlers will have to work
very hard to earn a record, as they must
either allow man to hit the ball or give
him base, but which will count Just the
same as if a man had knocked the cover off
the ball. What most of the players grum-
BILE at is the four strike system, which they
say will help to make poor batters
records as large as those who handle
the bat freely. The heavy hitters
of the League say that if man can't hit
ball in three trials lie ought never step
to the plate. Three strikes and out is a
regular household word, and it will be q
long time before the people will get ac-
quainted with four strikes. The patrons of
the game will find that these rules were
adopted to show the energy Of each and
every man on the team, and If they are
given fair trial they will suit everybody.
President Nick Young, of the National
League, was asked not long ago if he an
ticipated any trouble with the new rules,
and he promptly replied: 81 do not. These
rules were not formulated until they were
thoroughly discussed in all their bearings
by the managers and the most prominent
players in the profession. OF course they
will be experimental to a certain extent, but
they are in many respects superior TO the
old rules, and will conduce very materially
to make the contests more exciting and at
tractive. If, however, after a satisfactory
trial, they should prove failure-which I
do not expect-they can be easily changed
by special meeting of the League COM
mittee, which has full power to make what
ever changes may be deemed expedient."
In Spaldings Guide, which has just
been issued in this city, President
Young is allowed two pages to give his
Points on Scoring" The points are in
the nature of the advice which the teacher
of a kindergarten school usually gives his
pupils, and to infant scorers may prove
valuable.